We all have it – whether you go back to work on the 2nd January or managed to squeeze a few extra days off and like me you’re heading back on the 6th – the dread starts to fill you about going back to work and actually returning to normal life.

Now I won’t lie, my first week back at work is a little bit like ring of fire – I have a pretty busy week lined up, with 7am starts and 7pm finishes – so I’m trying to get ahead of the game and prep lunches and dinners for the week so I don’t feel too overwhelmed and I don’t stress out unnecessarily.

But something I want to start doing in 2020 is looking forward to new things – so next week may be tough, but I’m looking forward to getting in the pool and swimming. I’m looking forward to cosying up with a book in the evenings. I’m looking forward to a week going really quickly.

It’s appreciating the little things in life (right now I appreciate that I booked off 17th Jan to head to London for fun) but appreciating what I have got the time for.

Even though we all get those Sunday blues, thinking about going to work and everything else, it could be worse couldn’t it? I mean I know it’s January… but going to work makes me crave the weekend just that little bit more 😍

Are you ready to head back after the holiday break? Or could you do with another two weeks off??

Francesca xo

How is it 2020?

Where has 2019 gone?

Sometimes I honestly feel like that I blinked and whole seasons went by last year… but all jokes aside, not only have we begun a new year, but an entire new decade.

I feel as though this year I will attempt to get my s**t together (lol, jk) but it’s a new year and I’m excited for it.

This entire decade has been a little insane. In 2010, I was 14 years old with my first long-term relationship (lol we were together till right before my 18th 😱), I visited New York on a school trip and was basically a baby.

In the entire decade, I went through another long-term relationship and ended that, visited over 20 countries, went to university and graduated with a LAW DEGREE, bossed tinder and met my other half 🥰 and so much more. I relaunched my blog under a newwww url #excitingtimes and started an instagram to match 💁🏻‍♀️

It’s been a real adventure in the past ten years and I’ve learnt a lot – like how to squat properly, how to take a decent selfie and how to just enjoy myself. And it’s crazy to think that it’s now a fresh year – I’m super excited to see how it goes!

Check out my insta to see my 10 year difference!

So, as it’s a new year, that means a whole new list of challenges and this year it’s 20 things in 2020! The challenges I didn’t complete in 2019 have come over to the new year…

• Run a 5k in sub 45 minutes
• Complete Rough Runner 🏃🏻‍♀️
• Do Go Ape
• Complete a cooking class 👩🏻‍🍳
• Save £XXXXX in House Fund
• Climb Snowdon ⛰
• Go on the Harry Potter Studio Tour
• Start the CIPD
• Complete Spanish Duolingo 🇪🇸
• Squat 100kg plus bar
• Swim once a week 🏊🏼‍♀️
• Publish 30 blogs
• Read 12 books📚
• Drink 2 litres of water a day
• Bench press 25kg plus bar 💪🏼
• Complete a ride along
• Meal prep for lunches
• Self-care once a week 🧖🏻‍♀️
• Plan 12 dates
• Learn to french braid 💁🏻‍♀️

So 20 things to achieve in 2020 – I’ve downloaded Habitbull to help me track those daily/weekly tasks but I’m looking forward to the challenges and I can’t wait to see how they turn out – if you have any recommendations for books to read or meals for prepping – let me know in the comments below!

Francesca xo

Where has this year gone? HOW ARE WE 75% THROUGH THE YEAR!?!

At the start of the year, I set 19 goals. 19 goals for 2019. I thought as we’re 75% through the year, I’ll check in and see how I’m doing…

• Run 5km in sub 45 minutes 
• Go to a cocktail making class 🍹
• Take part in a Tough Mudder (?)
• See a pantomime
• Go to Go Ape!
• Take part in a cooking class 👩🏻‍🍳
• Visit somewhere new!
• Save £XXX for House Fund 
• Squat 80kg (including bar)
• Climb Snowdon
• Go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour
• Publish at least 26 blog posts in 2019 
• Have a deep clear of my wardrobe / Create a capsule wardrobe
• Read 5 non-fiction books
• Bench Press 20kg 💪🏼
• Go fruit picking!
• See Jon Bellion live!
• Do an elephant experience at the zoo (totes already eyeing up colchester zoo…)
• Plan 12 date days/nights ❤️

So, 9 down and 10 to go. I’ve planned 9 date nights, so almost done that, have a voucher for a cooking class and may have tickets to see Jon Bellion in October 👀

It’s nice to do these check-ins – see what I’ve accomplished so far this year and what I still have left to go.

What goals have you set yourself this year? And how are you getting on with them? Let me know in the comments below!

–

Francesca

xo

Bless – my incredible pops has finally hit his mid-fifties ❤️

My pops will probably never see this post (mostly as he literally only got facebook yesterday and is fairly inept with the whole internet)

But I wanted to talk about him, especially as he’s a year older, bless him!

I’ve been incredibly lucky in the parent lottery – my pops is not genetically my pops – but he’s still my pops ❤️

He is my back-cracker, my advice giver and just a general great human being. In general, he’s always been there when I’ve needed him – no issues too big to help. He’s been there when I locked my keys in my car, when I needed to learn how to drive, when I needed to learn to put up a shelf and how to enjoy a nice rum 👀

He’s cooked me food when I was up late studying for my degree, he’s given me pep talks for interviews and has always been there when I need to de-load all the cr*p in my life!

He’s been part of my life since I was little and will always be there to have my back.

Now I know not everyone hit the jackpot with the parent lottery, or unfortunately don’t have their pops around for whatever they might need. To those out there – your pops might be someone who might not conventionally who you’d expect. Your mumma might fit the role, your uncle, your friend. But the comments and my email is always open for those that need it ❤️

However, to my pops – Happy Birthday and welcome to the internet – hope you don’t need too many tutorials on how to use or find things!

–

Francesca

xo

I write this after recently reading ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck’ (book review post pendingggg) and after having possibly one of the more stressful weeks of my life that I’ve encountered so far – I have realised I took on NONE of the learnings of that book.

note to self – re-read the book, learn the lesson, start giving f*cks as and when needed…

However, I thought I’d get this down on paper, or more appropriately, typed on the internet for the world to see.

Pretty much everyone in their lifetime will deal with stress at somepoint in their life. It could be work, family, mental health, personal issues, whatever. But everyone on this planet we call home, will stress about something in their life.

The important thing here is how you deal with that stress, to ensure that you don’t make yourself sick – and that can be both mentally and physically. Stress can affect you in so many ways and most of the time, I reaaaaally let it get the better of me. To the point where my skin breaks out, my hair starts going grey and my heart starts getting palpitations – suuuper not healthy.

I won’t lie – I will never live a stress-free life or at least a life where I don’t let stress get to me. I’m a Type A personality, and a bottler of emotions. My other half knows this too well and luckily just tries to distract me most of the time. However, this stress session has caused me to shut myself off a little bit – at least from social media and blogging and all things I love to do 💔

But I’m getting better, and I swear to god just typing these words out makes me feel a little bit more like me.

But I just wanted to put it out there into the universe for you, lovely reader of mine, that stress is something that can be overcome. Stress is something that can be dealt with. Any mental health issue, big or small, if you ever want to talk – I’m here in the comments or even via email. I know sometimes how amazingly and wonderfully lighter the weight on your shoulders can get, once you’ve been given the opportunity to just release it all to someone who is willing to listen.

In the meantime, I’m going to slowly get back to the things that make me feel like me, get back to posting photos of things I love on insta and get a good book on the go with some ice cream – all about that self-care right?

Let me know your favourite things below for a self-care day – and if you just want somewhere to release those frustrations too ❤️

Francesca

xo

Working on my ’19 in 2019′ list and decided to cross of cocktail making class!

The White Hart in Hertfordshire offer the most incredible cocktail making class – with two different options dependent on the cost you’re able to afford. I went for the £45pp option which they call the Cocktail Masterclass.

Now, Adam was an incredible bartender, and thoroughly made us feel welcome and by the end like experts (very drunk experts). We made a range of cocktails Ike daiquiris, cosmopolitans, espresso martinis and many more!

When someone didn’t like the cocktail we were making (mostly me, cos I secretly don’t like gin – shock horror as everyone loves gin), Adam was super accommodating and allowed us to made a different cocktail for us.

Now, in the option we went for, we also were fed some beaut bar nibbles (the lamb croquettes were insane and can be found on the regular menu – THANK GOD as they were the most beautiful thing I ate all day!

Overall I’d highly recommend a cocktail making class, and if you’re in the shire then definitely give Adam a call – one more off the list 🍹

Francesca xo

Where has this year gone? HOW ARE WE 50% THROUGH THE YEAR!?!

At the start of the year, I set 19 goals. 19 goals for 2019. I thought as we’re 50% through the year, I’ll check in and see how I’m doing…

• Run 5km in sub 45 minutes 
• Go to a cocktail making class 🍹
• Take part in a Tough Mudder (?)
• See a pantomime
• Go to Go Ape!
• Take part in a cooking class 👩🏻‍🍳
• Visit somewhere new!
• Save £XXX for House Fund 
• Squat 80kg (including bar)
• Climb Snowdon
• Go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour
• Publish at least 26 blog posts in 2019 
• Have a deep clear of my wardrobe / Create a capsule wardrobe
• Read 5 non-fiction books
• Bench Press 20kg 💪🏼
• Go strawberry picking
• See Jon Bellion live!
• Do an elephant experience at the zoo (totes already eyeing up colchester zoo…)
• Plan 12 date days/nights ❤️

So, 4 down and 15 to go. I’ve planned 6 date nights, so almost done that, published 22 blog posts and have 2 more non-fiction books to read!

Not only that, but I’m getting closer on my bench press, have a voucher for a cooking class and may have tickets to see Jon Bellion in October 👀

It’s nice to do these check-ins – see what I’ve accomplished so far this year and what I still have left to go.

What goals have you set yourself this year? And how are you getting on with them? Let me know in the comments below!

–

Francesca

xo

Long time no post 👀

I may have been celebrating quite hard as I’m a whole 365 days older and closer to mid-twenties than early twenties! I’ve been spoilt rotten by my other half, my friends and I am so incredibly lucky to have all of them in my life.

But this is about a wonderful gift that my other half organised – a trip to Colchester Zoo to see the elephants! Now you may not be aware, but I am a firm lover of elephants, and even have a small elephant tattoo (I may be planning another, larger one… sorry mumma!)

The zoo itself is really easy to get around, well signposted and has plenty of hands on experiences that are free for visitors to take part in, including feeding lorikeets, pigmy goats, giraffes and ELEPHANTS!!!!

Omg, be still my beating heart.

I think it’s fantastic that Colchester Zoo offer these opportunities at no extra cost. Some zoo experiences can be seriously expensive and this allows everyone to have the same opportunity.

The zoo itself has huge enclosures and lots of space for their animals, who looked super happy and chilled out in the beaut sunshine!

The facilities there were great and I would 100% go back, as there was plenty to see and plenty to do – plus the zoo are making some changes the enclosures and I’d love to see what they do!

Francesca xo

As if I’m now 24…

TWENTY-FREAKING-FOUR

It’s totally insane. I remember my 23rd like it was yesterday and my friends singing Happy Birthday at midnight in Pitcher & Piano. But I’m a whole 365 days older and still none the wiser #millennial

But this year has been crazy – from 23 to 24, I’ve learnt a lot about myself and also a lot about who I want to be. But also I’ve learnt to subtly just plan my birthday plans with my other half – so carry on reading to hear about my crazy birthday weekend!

A lot of birthday plans occurred on the day and went into London to celebrate being 24! I visited Tiffanys (to replace a ring I lost on NYE!) and had such a great time. We popped on over to Swingers #competitivecouple, but had a great time before checking out the views at the Sky Garden. Now after all this fun, we finished the night at The Alchemist (it has now become tradition to have a birthday drink there, so we will continue to do this 👀) and stuck around for dinner too!

I really enjoyed my birthday this year, and I’ll be celebrating with friends too – cocktail making class and BBQ? Yes please!

Until then, I hope you have a beaut week and I’ll catch you next time.

Francesca xo

I don’t talk much about emotions. I’m the kind of person who pushes emotions down to the core of my being and chooses to deal with it in one big go around 6 months down the line.

However, this is not healthy in the slightest. It puts you in a dark and miserable place and it sucks majorly.

Unfortunately I’ve been suffering with stress lately. Stress with work, stress with life, stress with everything. My hair was turning grey, my skin was breaking out and I began suffering heart palpitations. I began breaking down from the inside out. I started crying for no reason, I didn’t want to do anything – life was not great.

This was 4 weeks ago. I’m not saying I’ve miraculously in 4 weeks I’ve got rid of all stresses but I tell you what, I feel a whole lot better. Mostly because I spoke to someone.

I literally called my other half, spoke at him down the phone for a good 30 minutes and felt like half the weight left my shoulders. A week later I had a good old cry and *bless him* he had a wet t-shirt from just giving me a cuddle and telling me it was gonna be okay.

I suppose the whole reason I’m putting this down in electronic format for the world to see, is that no matter what you see portrayed on social media – you don’t know what shit people are going through. You don’t know the stresses in life they are dealing with.

But that’s okay. You’re not supposed to know everyone’s business. But what it does mean is that no matter what, don’t add to people’s stresses. Don’t tear people down. Be the ray of sunshine on their cloudy day. Be the smile at the end of their day. We should be trying to make people’s lives easier.

So if you need a smile at the end of a day – comment below, I’m always here for a chat.

Francesca xo